Professor Earns Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship

Associate Professor Hanna Brant (SUNY Geneseo photo)

Hanna Brant, associate professor of political science and international relations at SUNY Geneseo, has been awarded a 2026-27 American Political Science Association (APSA) Congressional Fellowship.

The highly selective, nonpartisan program has brought political scientists, journalists, and other professionals to Capitol Hill since 1953 to enrich scholarship, teaching, and reporting on US national politics.

This fall, Brant and the other fellows will begin a 10-month stay in Washington, DC. They will attend daily orientation seminars with policy specialists, journalists, scholars, and congressional staff. The fellows will also transition into roles as unpaid legislative assistants, joining either the staff of a representative or senator, or serving on the committee staff of their choosing. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to travel to the Congressional district or state they serve during the program.

“Not only will my ability to produce accurate, policy-relevant scholarship improve by gaining first-hand experience in Congress,” says Brant, “the fellowship will also help me to become a better teacher-scholar for our students by providing first-hand experience and knowledge about American politics and government.”

The Department of Political Science and International Relations is proud to support Brant’s fellowship, says Karleen West, professor and chair of political science and international relations.

“The fellowship will give Professor Brant an unparalleled, inside-the-institution vantage point that deepens her research on gender and legislative politics, and grounds her teaching in the lived realities of congressional work,” says West. “By bringing that practical knowledge back to the classroom, she will equip her students with sharper insights into policymaking and better prepare them to navigate internships, careers, and professional networks in Washington, DC.”

Since joining the Geneseo faculty in 2020, Brant has taught a range of classes related to American politics and institutions. Her courses span topics such as the executive branch, legislative process, and local and state politics. Brant earned a bachelor of science from Indiana State University in political science with minors in women’s studies and civic leadership, before earning a PhD in political science from the University of Missouri.